


Heart on Sleeve

by ItCameFromOuterAce



Series: Promnis Week 2019 [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, First Time, M/M, Promnis Week 2019, Unbeta'd, flashfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-01-15
Packaged: 2019-10-10 11:54:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17425400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItCameFromOuterAce/pseuds/ItCameFromOuterAce
Summary: Ignis never wanted anything to come between him and his duty.





	Heart on Sleeve

**Author's Note:**

> So, found out about Promnis week on day 1. Then this happened, combining day 1 and 2. Also a kinkmeme fill. That's a hat trick, folks.
> 
> Day 1 (January 13)  
> Soulmate AU  
> Day 2 (January 14)  
> First time

At the age of six, Ignis swore the most important vow of his life.  Four years later, his charge was nearly killed by a daemon and taken from him to heal far from home.  Ignis’s world was rocked again when he was returned to him; sadder, quieter, and with a beautiful soulmark on his hand from his time in Tennebre.  Two years after that he decided he wouldn’t be taken from Noctis the way Noct was taken from him. By that age he’d been taught that soulbonds were initiated by skin-on-skin contact and confirmed by formation of a soulmark.  The adults had told him that his soulmate would be someone he would love, someone he could share his burdens with, the most important person in his life. His uncle had laughed and called him young when he insisted that Noctis would always be the most important person and no one could take that place for him.  He didn’t laugh when Ignis started wearing long sleeves in all weather, gloves outside of weapons training, and bowing first to ward off handshakes.

 

He meet Prompto when the Prince became friends with the school boy.  Ignis was grateful that Noct had someone who could lighten his moods and burdens.  It was almost like having the boy from his childhood back, although Noct still gloomed and moped from time to time.  Prompto became a fixture in the Prince’s life. His infectious enthusiasm carried him into Crownsguard training and Ignis saw even more of the blond, literally.  Prompto favored a sleeveless look with bracelets when not confined to school uniforms, exposing his arms from wrist to shoulder. When he started weapons training he gravitated to fingerless gloves, like he was daring the world to touch him.  Ignis privately mused on whether he was desperate or unconcerned about soulmates. Gladio was usually a good partner for gossip, but had a protective streak for Prompto and had grumped and shut down, telling him to bring it up with Prompto himself when Ignis had broached the topic.  Noctis had by contrast been far too enthusiastic about how Prompto deserved a soulmate, going so far over the line to suggest Ignis actually try touching the other boy. Ignis withdrew any further speculation.

 

He was beside himself with joy when he found out Niflheim was  _ insisting _ that Noctis be reunited with his soulmate, Lady Lunafreya, as part of the terms of the treaty.  He couldn’t imagine a better outcome and set out with the Prince and his other two retainers with pride in his heart and a warm assurance in his future.

 

It was amazing to learn how wrong it was possible to be.

 

After fighting beasts, daemons, soldiers, and gods; after worrying, bleeding, and suffering all across what was left of the kingdom it was in Altissia where Ignis learned what pain was.  Nothing would ever compare to having the ring burn through his veins and out his eyes, except the visions of his Prince, his King laying down his life on the throne. The threat that all this; the throne, the loss of the city, the empire’s threats; was some small distraction in a broader drama that had been positioning Noct to struggle for the years of his life and still die younger than his father was crushing.  He mourned his resolve more than his vision and went so far as to shame himself by suggesting Noctis turn away from his destiny. As though his King would want to stay in a dark world without his blasted soulmate. The gods were cruel.

 

They took a few weeks to heal in what was left of Altissia before setting out to reclaim the crystal.  Ignis learned about a world of sounds and shadows with Prompto hovering a few steps away. He struggled to navigate by touch and finally gave up his gloves and rolled up his sleeves to gain a little more information about the world around him.  After a decade of taking pains to avoid touching people he hadn’t before his resolve he was surprised to find he had been successful in avoiding his soulmate until he stumbled on the broken cobblestone and found himself pressed flush against Prompto’s left side, pressed wrist-to-wrist and elbow-to-elbow.  

 

They’d been picking up rations after a day of volunteering to clear rubble when he fell. He mistook the warmth and tingle for a side effect of an unfamiliar sensation until Noct gasped from in front of the two of them and Gladio’s awed rumble of, “Holy shit, something good actually happened in this hell-hole.” reached his ears.  He touched his arm, there was a slightly raised pattern there. He was still trying to figure out how to process this when Prompto fled.

 

He heard a choked gasp of, “Sorry.” before the rapid footfall of boots disappearing into the wreckage of the city.

 

“Prompto, wait!”  Ignis called once, taking two steps to follow him before he fell again, this time scraping his hands as no one was there to catch him.  After a moment he felt the familiar presence of Gladio and Noctis by his side and a large hand helped him back to his feet.

 

“Gladio, go make sure Prompto comes back to the hotel safely.  Ignis and I will meet you there. Specs? Come on.” Ignis’s King took him by the other arm and lead him the way they’d been heading to get some tinned food.  The hotel was overwhelmed with its new role as a refugee shelter and Noctis refused to further burden the staff with demands for food. Ignis was proud of him, although he wished he could help in the kitchens.  They walked in silence for a few steps as Gladio went the direction Prompto had fled, but Noct was not content to hold his tongue. “I’m so happy for you two, but how is  _ this _ the first time you two have touched?  I mean, it’s almost like a sign that things are gonna be ok someday, but you’ve known each other for years.  And Prompto...he, like, seriously thought he would never have a soulmate for some reason, so don’t be hard on him when he gets back.”

 

Ignis faltered, but Noct slowed his steps to match.  Ignis suspected Noct was looking at him expectantly. “I...I never wanted a soulmate.  I...never wanted something to distract me from my duties. I…” He trailed off, unsure of how Noct would feel about his confession.  Noct stopped walking, effectively halting Ignis with the grip on his arm. He turned to sightlessly face his oldest friend and he felt a touch on the arm where his new mark was.

 

“Ignis, you’re...your mark is beautiful.  I...Luna and I never…” Noct’s voice was choked with tears, but he carried on.  “You have a chance to have something special, something that won’t hurt me in any way.  You...you’ve never minded my friendship with Prompto or Gladio, right? You never resented my…”  He trailed off. Ignis was silent, stricken by the  _ suggestion _ that he would want to deny Noct any happiness.  He couldn’t bring himself to object, his King wasn’t done speaking.  “Ignis, I want you to be happy. Sometimes soulbonds don’t work out, but I hope that two of my best friends can find the...the peace of each other.”  Noct sniffled slightly.

 

They finished their errand and returned to the hotel in contemplative silence.  Gladio greeted them with the information that Prompto was in the room and that Noctis would be coming with him to earn supper in the soup kitchen down in the lobby and would remain there for several hours.  With that Ignis was left with...with his soulmate.

 

“Hey Iggy...sorry I bolted earlier, that was kinda shitty of me.”  Prompto’s voice was a little shaky and coming from the bed. Ignis took his shoes off by the door made his way over, making sure the floor was clear with his cane to buy time.

 

“May I join you?” he asked, proud of how steady his voice was.  

 

There was a moment’s silence before Prompto said, “Shit, sorry, I nodded.  Yeah, plenty of room. Do you wanna…” There was a soft creak as his weight shifted on the mattress.  Ignis settled on the edge and scooted in until he felt the dip that signified Prompto’s position. He reached out and felt Prompto’s knee and shifted until they were facing each other.  Prompto drew a sudden breath, then asked, “Can, may I touch your arm?” Ignis slowly nodded, then gasped in turn as warmth flooded him from his mark. It was nothing like when Noctis had touched it, it was like when the mark had formed, but persistent and surer.  Prompto made a soft noise. “That's intense, can you feel that?”

 

“I think so, may I?” Ignis reached for Prompto's arm in turn. Prompto pressed his mark into Ignis’s hand. It was different, like drinking lightning through his finger tips.  “Actually, no, I didn't feel that. This is…” Ignis was at a loss for words. “Please tell me how you feel about this.”

 

“I keep not waking up and I don't know how to process it.  I'm a little lost here, Iggy.” Now that he was concentrating Ignis realized not all the apprehension he felt was his own.  Prompto and he were  _ sharing  _ through the bond.  Prompto needed reassurance.

 

“I'm  _ grasping _ for answers myself.”  Ignis gave the arm he was holding a squeeze and felt a pulse of amusement as Prompto gave a horse chuckle.  Prompto always did seem to get Ignis’s word play. “I...was living under the impression that a soulmate would...be someone who took me away from Noctis.” Prompto shivered at the confessions and started to protest, but Ignis persisted.  “I never imagined that it would be someone who took the same vows I have. Prompto, I, I'm sorry…”

 

“Look, Iggy.  I never expected to have a soulmate, and...this doesn’t need to change anything.  Not between us two or us four. All that happened was we touched and our souls said ‘Same hat!’’  Ignis could feel that Prompto was pleased with that metaphor, but he was unsure underneath it.

 

“I...Prompto, I want to explore this.  It’s so different from what I imagined, would you mind if…” He  _ felt _ Prompto smile through the bond and returned the gesture.  Prompto rose to his knees, breaking the contact, and shuffled until he dropped back next to Ignis before pressing his mark up against Ignis’s.  If touching Prompto’s mark was like lightning, this was the stars after a storm. Ignis fell into the contact as Prompto did, supporting each other in their collapse.

 

“Whoa, that’s better than sex.”  Prompto moaned. Ignis felt his blood rush to his face and other places as memories passed through the bond.  Prompto stiffed and started to pull away, the emotion in the bond giving a brief pulse of...shame? Ignis let him go, not wanting to force anything Prompto didn’t want to share.  “I...I didn’t wait. We were kids, exploring each other, ya know? And a few times with some of the ‘guard.” Prompto said in a small voice.

 

Ignis held his arm out; there if Prompto wanted to take it, but not pushing it on him.  He thought for a minute and had decided on his words by the time Prompto took his hand. Their marks brushed at the edges as they held hands on the bed, it wasn’t as intense as the full contact, just nice.  “I’m glad.” Ignis said plainly, “I admire how fully you live your life, the joy you bring to Noct and to us, and I’m selfishly glad.”

 

Ignis felt Prompto pick up the undercurrent to his words, and that joy he mentioned started to uncurl in both of them.  Prompto leaned in close enough that their shoulders touched. Ignis could feel the warmth of his face as he whispered, “Oh?”

 

Ignis smirked.  “At least one of us knows what he’s doing.”  He leaned in the last inch.

 

~Fin~

**Author's Note:**

> And then they did sex.
> 
> Finished the story before bed, booyah!
> 
> Original prompt:  
> Ignis & Prompto, Ignis/Prompto, first physical contact Soulmate AU  
> Date: 2018-12-22 04:04 am (UTC)  
> From: (Anonymous)  
> Ignis was 12 when he realized that he never wanted a soulmate. A soulmate was supposed to be the most important person in your life whether romantic or platonic, but for Ignis, the most important person would always be Noctis.  
> He was 12 when he started wearing gloves and long sleeves exclusively. 12 when he started carefully making sure that he only had direct skin on skin contact with people he had touched before, people he was certain were /not/ his soulmate.  
> \------  
> Prompto wasn't sure he even /had/ a soulmate, considering the barcode on his wrist.  
> He wan't holding out any hope.  
> \------  
> So, when the two of them finally brush skin against skin and IT happens, they're /both/ caught flat footed.  
> Skin-on-Skin contact soulmate AU for the win!!!  
> Platonic or shippy, either is fine.  
> \+ I'd like there to be some physical indication of a found soulmate bond, what it is is up to the filler. (Ideas: matching symbols, complementary symbols, a splash of color at the touch site)  
> ++ Ignis and Prompto are initially kinda baffled because, really, them? Soulmates? Were the six tipsy when it came to match their souls up or what? Noctis and Gladio think they're perfect for each other and are being ridiculous.  
> Any other background soulmate matches are fine!


End file.
